Becoming Involved with the Prayers of the People

 


Outline:

Preamble:

  • Many ways to pray
    • BCP 857 lists some of the principle ways of the church
  • One of the primary ways we see prayer in the church is through the Prayers of the People
  • Can learn about prayer, corporate and individual, from the Prayers of the People
  • Goals of this session:
    1. See what the Prayers of the People as a form of Prayer
    2. Look at what the Prayers of the People say about prayer, corporately and individually
    3. Examine the roles of the leaders of the Prayers of the People to understand how the Prayers extend to our lives beyond the church walls
Prayers of the People:
  1. What they are:
    • Prayers we say during Holy Eucharist
    • Forms
      1. "Whole state of Christ's Church and the world"
        • Rite I version (BCP 328)
        • Based primarily on Cranmer's work (1st BCP)
        • Most set of all forms
        • Still offers space for our own "additional petitions and thanksgivings"
      2. Form 1
      3. Form II
      4. Form III
      5. Form IV
      6. Form V
      7. Form VI
    • Given a lot of freedom for how to pray
      • All give some location where we can add our own prayers and names
      • Can be done in traditional or contemporary language
      • Meant to be a guide for our own congregational prayers
    • Some are call and response
      • Response typically is why we are praying for that thing
      • Gives more involvement to the people
    • Only a few requirements
    • Offer Intercession for (BCP 383):
      1. "The Universal Church, its members, and its mission"
      2. "The Nation and all in authority"
      3. "The welfare of the world"
      4. "The concerns of the local community"
      5. "Those who suffer and those in any trouble"
      6. "The departed"
    • The Celebrant is included in these prayers by concluding with a collect (BCP 394)
      • Collects are specific forms of prayers
      • Name comes from "collecting" our thoughts
  2. What we learn about Prayer
    • "Praying shapes believing"
    • Concluding Collects give us a sense of what we are doing
      • Asking God to hear and answer (Collect 1)
      • Recognizing we don't always know how or what to pray for (Collect 2)
      • Realizing that we have no authority or worthiness to ask (Collect 2)
      • Praying helps us to go out and do God's will (Collect 3)
      • Asking God that we may only ask what is according to God's will (Collect 4)
      • Realizing our own timidness in asking for what we need (Collect 4)
      • Realizing our own blindness for what to ask (Collect 4)
      • Asking that God show compassion on those who need help (Collect 5)
      • Look past our sins to our Faith and willingness to follow (Collect 6)
    • These things help us in crafting the Prayers of the People
    • These things help us with our own personal prayers as well
  3. Who leads the Prayers of the People
    • Deacon is the first listed
      • "interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world." (BCP 543)
      • "serve all people, particularly the poor, the weak, the sick, and the lonely." (BCP 543)
    • When there is no deacon, another person appointed
      • This is not the Celebrant
      • Best if it is a lay person, strengthens that these are the Prayers of the People
    • Intercessors
      • Word for those who give intercession
        • Ancient ministry of the church
        • Intercession is a principle type of prayer (BCP 857)
        • Key part of the Prayers of the People (see rubrics throughout BCP)
      • Take lead from deacons
        • Make needs known to church
        • Means we can pray for needs individually
        • Means, when possible, we can answer those prayers
          • Need to recognize when we can and cannot help
          • Also need to know when appropriate and not appropriate to help
          • We do not always need to be the one helping
            • We can find others who can do so
    • Writers of Prayers
      • The Prayers of the People are best done when written by the People
        • Should do in consultation with priest
          • Ensures include 6 requirements
          • Helps keep appropriate length
          • Maintains good style
          • Presbyters have expertise from seminary education
      • Taking part in writing can help us with our own prayers
        • Helps us know who to pray for
        • Allows us to add to the parish prayer list
          • Always ask permission before from person before adding to the list
          • Confidentiality important for everyone, not just clergy
        • Puts us in a position to help pastorally
          • Can let clergy know about needs
          • Can also act pastorally on own too
        • Connects us to the community
          • Have to know the needs to prayer for them
          • Community is:
            • Parish
            • Wider church
            • Place we live in
            • Wider world
        • Helps us feel our role as part of the People of the church
      • Best if writers also serve as intercessors too
        • Gives a stronger sense of these being Prayers of the People

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